Our Monte Cristo french toast recipe was adapted from The Art of Breakfast by Dana Moos and is much more than a fried ham and cheese sandwich! We use challah stuffed with thinly sliced smoked ham, slices of Bosc pear and Havarti cheese, fry it, bake it and then top it with Maine maple syrup and raspberry preserves. This breakfast recipe satisfies guests with a sweet or savory preference.

The original Monte Cristo is a fried ham and cheese sandwich. It is a variation of the French croque-monsieur which is a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. The croque-monsieur (“to crunch”–“mister”) first recorded appearance was on a Parisian café menu in 1910. Both the Monte Cristo and the croque-monsieur typically used Emmental or Gruyere cheese.

Mix the eggs, half & half, sweet mustard, 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup, and salt in blender for 5 seconds and pour into a wide bowl for dipping.

Layer four slices of the bread with cheese, ham, sliced pear, and another layer of cheese, then top with the remaining 4 slices of bread. Cut in half. Dip the sandwich halves into the egg mixture and fry on a griddle over medium heat until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Move the sandwiches to a parchment-lined cookie sheet when done. Cover with aluminum foil and place the cookie sheet in oven for 20 minutes, uncovering after 15, until completely heated through.

Serve the two halves on a plate with sprinkled powdered sugar, fresh raspberries, maple syrup, and raspberry preserves. Sometimes we add diced kiwi for color and a light acidic bite.